Woman, infant dead in separate Chattanooga house fires

Woman, infant dead in separate Chattanooga house fires

An infant and an adult died this morning in separate fires and two more people are in critical condition, officials said.

The first fire started shortly after 11 a.m.at 70 Maude St. close to Erlanger hospital, according to Chattanooga Fire Department spokesman Bruce Garner.

Arriving firefighters found fire in the living room and quickly put it out, then began looking for people. An infant, another child and an adult woman were found in a back bedroom. All were taken to Erlanger, where the child was pronounced dead on arrival at T.C. Thompson Children's Hospital, Garner said.

The other child was in critical condition. The adult, who was reportedly baby sitting, was also in critical condition and was expected to be transported to a burn center in Augusta, Ga., Garner said.

The second fire was at 1514 Ely Road and was already out when firefighters arrives shortly before noon.

The firefighters were told that a candle had fallen on a couch and started a fire that caught the clothes of a 38-year-old woman. Investigators were told the woman's husband tore off the burning clothes and a child got water from the kitchen to put out the fire.

The woman was rushed to Erlanger Medical Center with burns to about 90 percent of her body. She died within a few hours.

Both fires are under investigation by the fire department and the Chattanooga Police Department's Major Crimes Division, Garner said.